Porsche really wants to build the 918, however, the company insists that it doesn't want to lose money on the vehicle.

Reaction
to Porsche's
918 Spyder plug-in hybrid concept was overwhelmingly positive
when it was unveiled last week at the Geneva auto show -- its sleek
lines and impressive hybrid powertrain won over those who have been
critical of Porsche's somewhat "stagnant" design philosophy
and even those who turn up their noses at hybrid vehicles.

According
to AutoCar,
the people within Porsche love the vehicle as well, and they want to
build it. The 918 Spyder would be made as the new "halo"
vehicle for the automaker -- a distinction that was recently bestowed
upon the Porsche
Carrera GT. The $440,000+ Carrera GT weighs 3,000 pounds, gets
its motivation from a 5.5-liter V10 which develops 605 hp, and can
scoot to 60 mph in around three and a half seconds.

The
918, on the other hand, is powered by a 3.4-liter V8 engine which
produces 500 hp. Two electric motors bring the total combined
horsepower of the vehicle to 718 hp. All of that power is harnessed
within a roadster that weighs just under 3,300 pounds.

Macht
went on to add, "The 918 Spyder provides the answer to whether
there can be high-performance cars in the future. Many have said they
are finished. This car shows they are not."

If
the 918 Spyder does make it to production, it will arrive within the
next five years according to company insiders (the Porsche Carrera GT
was shown in concept form in 2000 and entered production four years
later). Given the technology that is crammed into the 918 Spyder, it
wouldn't be surprising if its price tag far surpassed that of the
Carrera GT.

Porsche
is determined to not lose money on its next halo vehicle, unlike
Toyota with its ultra-exotic Lexus LFA supercar. The 552 hp LFA is a
priced
at a whopping $375,000 USD – however, at that price, Toyota is
still losing money on every one it produces.

"Nowadays you can buy a CPU cheaper than the CPU fan." -- Unnamed AMD executive